WikiOrgCharts has put a spotlight on the 1,000 most highly paid federal civil servants. It's a list heavy on doctors, lawyers and bankers, many of whom would do far better in the private sector, which puts an interesting spin into the debate about whether government employees are overpaid.

Complaints over higher tax brackets aside, one rule holds true when it comes to your paycheck: Bigger is better. Now, thanks to a recent report out of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we now know exactly where to look to score the bigger paycheck.

There aren't many surprises on the lists of which college majors tend to yield the lowest salaries. But what matters more than your major is what you do with your degree after you graduate. These courses of study may do poorly on average, but the skills they teach could turn you into a big winner.

The compensation experts at Payscale recently reported on the best- and worst-paying college majors in America -- but don't put all your faith in those averages. Yes, salaries are lower for those who studied social work or art history, but it's what you do with your degree that really counts.